Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention - Clear Blue Blog

EPA may tighten ozone standard

Laurie H — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:19:55 -0700

On Thursday, June 21, the U.S. EPA announced proposed revisions to the federal health standards for ozone. Though the proposal would make the ozone standard slightly more stringent, it doesn't go as far as recommended by the EPA's science advisors. It also leaves open the possibility of leaving the standard as is.

Texas asks for another extension of ozone deadline

Laurie H — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 08:27:33 -0700

Houston's first deadline to meet federal health standards for ozone was 1975. Now, 32 years later, we still haven't reached that goal, and Governor Perry is asking the EPA to extend our deadline (yet again) to 2018, according to a Houston Chronicle article by Dina Cappiello.

Texas officially asked the federal government Friday for an extra nine years to meet health standards for ground-level ozone, saying that it would be "practicably impossible" for the eight-county Houston-Galveston region to comply with the law by 2010.

Let's move forward with the Mayor's plans

Laurie H — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:56:34 -0700

AnÂ editorial in theÂ Sunday, June 10 edition of the Houston Chronicle noted that while state legislators failed to improve air toxics laws this spring, not all the news is bad.

It could have been worse. A bill to prevent cities from using nuisance laws against polluters outside their borders failed to pass muster, leaving Houston free to use that strategy.

Good point. Now that the legislative session is over, let's get back to work. Mayor Bill White has outlined a plan for reducing toxic air pollution in Houston, and we need to move forward with it.

Houston misses 2007 ozone deadline

Laurie H — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:15:24 -0700

On Monday, June 4, the air quality monitor at Wallisville Road in Baytown exceeded the 1-hour ozone standard for the second day this year. As a result, the Houston region lost its last hope of meeting the 2007 deadline for attaining the 1-hour standard â€“ or rather, of getting an extension of it.

According to federal guidelines, a region can meet the standard if it has no more than three exceedances in three years at any one monitor. For the period of 2005-2007, Houston blew that chance in the first year. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the position that Houston would be eligible for an extension if no monitor in the region exceeded the standard more than once during 2007.

Bills to reduce toxic pollution fail to pass Texas Legislature

Laurie H — Wed, 30 May 2007 06:44:41 -0700

The 80th session of the Texas Legislature ended on Monday, May 28, and ultimately, none of the 20 or so bills that could have reduced toxic air pollution in the state passed.

In recent weeks, our biggest hope hung on SB 12. That bill passed the Senate and was amended during the House debate to includeÂ language that would have improved air quality policies in Texas. The bill passed the House with the amendments, but they were stripped out over the weekend during the conference committee hearings.

Rep. Dennis Bonnen was the chair of the House conference committee,Â and Sen. Kip Averitt was the chair of the Senate conference committee.

It's no "giant leap," but it's a baby step for Houston's air

Laurie H — Fri, 11 May 2007 10:12:11 -0700

At last, a decent bit of news from the Texas Legislature. This week, SB 1924 (Gallegos) passed the Senate. Finally, one ofÂ more thanÂ 10 air quality bills introduced this sessionÂ is getting somewhere!

Of course, that's partly because this is the least "offensive" bill of the bunch. It requires TCEQ to report on its efforts to clean up air pollution, but doesn't actually include any new pollution reduction measures.

Which is not to say it isn't a good bill. It is. But it would be even better if it included ambient air quality standards. Unfortunately, all the bills that would have set such standards (including another one by Gallegos) died in committee.

Bonnen won't hear bills unless they pass Senate

Laurie H — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:26:20 -0700

Texas Rep. Dennis Bonnen, chair of the House Environmental Regulations Committee, has said he won't hear any air toxics bills in his committee unless they pass the Senate, according to an article in the Brazoria County Facts.

Passage of Jackson's bill a setback for air quality

Laurie H — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:10:13 -0700

Despite strong opposition from 11 Texas Senators, SB 1317 (Jackson)Â passed the Senate on Wednesday after the third vote. The purpose of the bill is to prevent Texas cities from using nuisance ordinances to address air pollution that impacts their residents, if the pollution originates outside the city limits.

The bill was developed in direct response to the pollution reduction efforts of Houston Mayor Bill White. There's a blog on the Texas Observer that gives his reaction to the passage of the bill.

Cohen speaks up for clean air

Laurie H — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:00:00 -0700

Ellen Cohen has an excellentÂ column in the Bellaire Examiner this week dealing with air quality in Houston. She does anÂ good job of summing up why the Texas Legislature should not allow SB 1317 (Jackson) and HB 3592 (Smith) to become law.

It is one thing for Texas to stand alone among major refining states without ambient air standards, which consider nonfeasance.Â It is quite another for the Legislature to cut off the cityâ€™s ability to control what companies are allowed to spew into our air, which I would consider malfeasance.Â

Businesses should sit down with state leaders and create ambient air standards for all of Texas.

Until that day, they at least should respect a cityâ€™s right to regulate the air.

Support SB 1924, Oppose SB 1317

Laurie H — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:57:10 -0700

SB 1924 addresses toxic air pollution

Senate Bill 1924, which requires TCEQ to report its progress on cleaning up the air in communities on the Air Pollution Watch List, has cleared the Senate Natural Resources Committee and been sent to the full Senate. This is a small victory for air quality advocates, who often face an uphill battle in the Texas Legislature. However, the bill urgently needs support from Texas residents.

Please contact your Texas Senator, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask that he or she support SB 1924 (Gallegos). Also, ask for support on SB 1855 (Gallegos) and SB 1906 (Ellis). These identical bills would set enforceable ambient levels for five toxic pollutants. These bills, which are still in committee, will aid TCEQ in its efforts to address toxic air pollution.